Method and device for orienting a succession of parallel rod-shaped objects

ABSTRACT

A method for modifying to a desired angle the orientation of a succession of rod-shaped objects conveyed in continuous motion in substantially parallel alignment comprising the step of displacing each object respectively at two points thereof located on the same side of its longitudinal axis, in directions which make a small angle with each other, and with different respective speeds regulated as a function of the value of the said angle so as to cause the said object to pivot through the said desired angle.

United States Patent 1151 3,690,434

Anfossi [451 Sept. 12, 1972 [54] METHOD AND DEVICE FOR 3,229,802 1/1966 Molins et al ..l98/33 AB ORIENTING A SUCCESSION F 3,495,696 2/1970 Molins ..l98/35 PARALLEL RPD SH APED OBJECTS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS m] Anmss" Orleans France 1,295,879 5/1962 France ..l98/l65 [73] Assignee: Service DExploitation Industrielle Des Tabacs Et Des Allumettes, Paris, Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter France Attorney-Sparrow & Sparrow [22] Filed: July 7, 1970 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl 52880 A method for modifying to a desired angle the orientation of a succession of rod-shaped objects conveyed in 52 US. Cl ..198/ R, 198/33 AB, 198/102 Continuous motion in substantially Parallel alignment [51] Int. Cl ..Bg 47/24 comprising the Step of displacing each j p 58] Field of Search 198/20, 33 AB, 35 tively at two points thereof located on the same side of 198/165 102 its longitudinal axis, in directions which make a small angle with each other, and with different respective [56] References Cited speeds regulated as a function of the value of the said angle so as to cause the said object to pivot through the said desired angle.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ORIENTING A SUCCESSION OF PARALLEL ROD-SHAPED OBJECTS This invention relates to a method and a device for modifying the orientation of a succession of rod-shaped objects such as cigarettes which are conveyed in continuous motion and in substantially parallel alignment.

In order to modify the orientation of an elongated object such as a cigarette, a method which is commonly employed consists in imparting motion to two separate points of said object in a different manner. To this end, it is possible:

either to take steps to ensure that the said two points move at equal speed but in directions and along a path such that the resultant motion is a simple rotation of the object about its geometrical center without lateral displacement, which fails to achieve satisfactory modification of orientation of a succession of objects in closely spaced relation;

or to displace two separate and distinct regions of the object in parallel directions but at different speeds; there is obtained in that case a pivotal motion about a point located between the two displaced regions and at the same time a translational motion in the direction of displacement. However, this simultaneous displacement and pivotal motion result in a variation of the points of application of the two actions which are exerted on the object. Whether they remain subjected to the said actions or not, the objects consequently have a tendency to roll and to become misaligned, more especially if they are of cylindrical shape.

In order to overcome this disadvantage, it is intended in accordance with the present invention to displace two different points of the objects, the said two points being located on the same side of the longitudinal axis, at difl'erent speeds and in directions which make a small angle with each other, the ratio of speeds being a function of the angle of the directions of displacement.

In order that the objects should be subjected to both actions during their entire displacement, it is necessary to displace the points of application towards each other, this being achieved by exerting actions in convergent directions. Moreover, since the rates of displacement are a function of the angle of the said directions, the points of application of the forces exerted will remain in a fixed position relative to the object so that this latter will have a tendency neither to roll nor to move laterally away from the path which results from the said actions.

In order to carry out the method, the invention is also concerned with a device comprising a station for supplying objects such as cigarettes, a discharge station and between the said two stations two endless belts for supporting and conveying cigarettes, the said belts being spaced at a distance which is smaller than the length of the object, the two belts having directions which converge at a small angle and being driven at different speeds, the said speeds being a function of the angle of convergence in order to cause the pivotal motion of the objects through the desired angle. By way of example of application of the invention, only cigarettes will be mentioned in the remainder of this description.

Under these conditions, it is apparent that the speeds can be determined so that the points of application of the actions exerted which correspond to the points of contact of the cigarette with the belts remain invariable with respect to the cigarette during the displacement of this latter.

When reaching the downstream end of the belts, the cigarettes are taken by a band-conveyor. The said bandconveyor can be disposed above the belts, thereby entailing the need for suction means in order to permit transfer of the cigarettes. Alternatively, the band-conveyor can be located at the end of the belts or beneath the downstream extremities of these latter. In accordance with the design solutions last mentioned, the cigarettes will be discharged directly from the belts onto the band-conveyor provided that, in accordance with another feature of the invention, the downstream extremities of the belts are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cigarettes in the new orientation of these latter. The cigarettes will thus be either transferred into the compartments of a band-conveyor which is placed at the end of the said belts or alternatively permitted to fall either freely or under the control of suitable guide means in the direction of a bandconveyor which is placed beneath the downstream ends of the belts.

In a preferred form of construction, the discharge station is a band-conveyor located beneath the downstream extremities of the belts and adapted to move in a direction which makes a right angle with the alignment of the downstream extremities of the two belts.

At the upstream end, the discharge conveyor referred to can be supplied by means of further devices which may or may not be similar to the device hereinabove described.

The foregoing arrangement may rise to variations in level at a point located vertically beneath the downstream extremity of the convergent belts, such variations being liable to hinder the transfer of cigarettes. In order to overcome this disadvantage, the belts are mounted on a frame which pivots about an axis located in either parallel or coincident relation with the belt drive shaft, the frame being suitably weighted so that the downstream extremity of the belts should be permitted by means of a pallet, for example, which bears on the cigarettes of the band-conveyor to follow the variations in level of the transported layer.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, provision could be made for two or more sets of two belts such as those described above, a separate feed station for each set and a discharge station consisting of a common band-conveyor, the downstream extremities of the said sets of belts being so arranged as to provide the objects of the different streams with the same orientation at the moment of transfer of the said objects onto the band-conveyor.

In order to maintain the objects on the supporting belts at the time of pivotal motion of the frame, provision is made for an endless belt which is stretched in the direction followed by the axis of pivotal motion of the cigarettes, the said belt being located above the two supporting and conveying belts and at a distance with respect to these latter which is substantially equal to the thickness of the objects; the said upper belt is mounted on two drums and these latter are rotatably mounted on shafts which are rigidly fixed to the frame.

Finally, in order to facilitate the transfer of the objects of the belts onto the band-conveyor located beneath these latter, provision will advantageously be made for guides such as shells which are rigidly fixed to the frame, the said shells being mounted adjacent to the downstream extremity of the belts.

The following description relates to one non-limitative example of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 1-1 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view in side elevation, this view being taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1.

In the example which is illustrated, two sets of belts are coupled together on a single frame 12. The description will be limited to a single set, the elements of the second set being designated by the same references as those of the first but followed by the prime index.

The feed station comprises two parallel belts 1 and 2 which convey cigarettes from the forming machine. Two belts 3 and 4 placed in the line of extension of the first two belts and spaced at a distance which is smaller than the length of one cigarette are convergent at a very small angle.

The belts 3 and 4 are carried by drums 5 and 6 which are driven separately at difierent speeds by pulleys 9 (shown in FIG. 2), the said pulleys being keyed on the shaft which is in turn driven by a motor (not shown); chains 7 and 8 are passed over the pulleys 9 and serve to drive the drums 5 and 6.

The difference in speed results from the differences in diameter of the pulleys 9, depending on whether the said pulleys drive the belt 3 or the belt 4; the belt 4 is driven at a higher speed than the belt 3.

The drums 5 and 6 are freely mounted in rotation on a shaft 11 which is in turn mounted on the frame 12.

The downstream extremity of the belts is carried by drums which are freely mounted in rotation on shafts 13 and 14 which are rigidly fixed to the frame 12.

The frame 12 is capable of pivoting about the shaft 11. In order to maintain equilibrium of the assembly, a counterweight 15 is fixed at the rear end of the frame and is suitably chosen so as to respond to all displacements andeven small displacements of the frame about the shaft 11.

The discharge guide 16 which provides a connection between the extremities 22 and 23 of the belts and the band-conveyor 24 is formed by two curved portions which are rigidly joined together; the front portion 25 having the shape of a shell serves to guide cigarettes from the belts 3 and 4 to the band-conveyor 24 and the rear portion 26 is a pallet which follows the level of the cigarettes on the said band-conveyor. It is this pallet which produces the mofion of the frame 12. When the said pallet is lifted by the cigarettes which are placed upstream on the band-conveyor 24, the said pallet causes the displacement of the frame which pivots about the shaft 11 together with the belts 3, 4, 17.

The upper extremity of the shell 25 is tangent to the downstream extremities of each pair of belts. The extremities 22 and 23 of the belts 3 and 4 are aligned in the direction of cigarettes which are oriented in the desired manner and the generatrix of the shell 25 corresponds to this line, thereby permitting the cigarettes to slide directly on the guide 16 down to the band-conveyor 24. The said conveyor 24 moves in the direction of the arrow 27 at right angles to the said line.

As shown in FIG. 2, an upper belt 17 is mounted at a distance which is slightly smaller than the thickness of cigarettes above the belts 3 and 4 and in the direction of the axis of pivotal motion of the cigarettes during their displacement. The upper belt is driven in rotation and mounted on the upstream drum 18 and downstream drum 19, the said drums being carried by the shafts 20 and 21 respectively which are rigidly fixed to the frame 12.

When the frame carries two sets of belts as in the case of FIG. 1, both sets are secured to the same frame and the general pivotal movement is caused either by the pallet 26 or by the pallet 26.

The operation of the device is as follows.

The cigarettes which are supplied from the forming machine and carried by the belts 1 and 2 are disposed with their longitudinal axes at right angles to the direction of displacement of the belts. The said cigarettes are taken successively by the belts 3 and 4 and transferred by these latter towards the discharge guide 16 onto the band-conveyor 24.

Since the belt 4 moves at a higher speed than the belt 3, the extremity of the cigarette which rests on the said belt 4 is displaced at a higher speed than the extremity which rests on the belt 3. This results in a pivotal movement of the cigarette which arrives on the extremities 22 and 23 of the belts at right angles to the direction of displacement of the band-conveyor 24.

The cigarettes of the belts 3 and 4 are guided as they fall onto the band-conveyor 24 by the front portion 25 of the discharge guide 16; the pallet 26 rests on the layer of cigarettes which has already been deposited on the band-conveyor 24 either by the discharge guide 16 which receives the cigarettes from the belts 3' and 4 or by other devices which are disposed upstream of the guides 16 and 16'.

When the layer of cigarettes on the band-conveyor 24 increases, the rear portion 26' of the guide 16' or the rear portion 26 of the guide 16 is lifted and accompanied in its movement by the frame 12 which according'ly pivots about the shaft 11. The plane of the belts 3, 4, 3, 4, l7 and 17' is modified, with the result that the said belts then assume a position which is inclined to the horizontal. The cigarettes are maintained on the lower belts 3, 4, 3', 4', by the belts 17, 17 which, under these particular conditions, prevent the cigarettes from rolling on the inclined plane which is formed by the two supporting and conveying belts 3 and 4, 3' and 4'.

The movement of the frame is balanced by the counterweight 15 which maintains the assembly in such a manner as to ensure that the pallet 26 is continuously in contact with the cigarettes of the band-conveyor 24 without flattening the said cigarettes.

What I claim is:

1. A device for modifying to a desired angle the orientation of a succession of rod-shaped objects having longitudinal axes, conveyed in continuous motion and in substantially parallel alignment, said device comprising a station for supplying said objects, a station for discharging said objects, two endless support.- ing and conveying belts between said stations, said belts being located in the same plane and spaced apart at a distance less than the length of said objects, means for mounting and moving said belts in directions which converge at a small angle in the direction of travel means for driving one belt faster than the other, the respective speeds of said belts being a function of said small angle in order to cause pivotal motion of said objects through said desired angle while the points of contact of said objects with said two belts remain stationary with respect to said objects throughout the period during which said objects are conveyed by said belts, and means preventing said objects from rotating about their longitudinal axes.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, comprising at least two sets of two belts, a separate feed station for each set and a discharge station constituted by a common conveyor, the downstream extremities of said sets of belts being so arranged as to provide said objects of the different streams with the same orientation at the moment of transfer of said objects onto said common conveyor.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a pallet for each set of said belts, said pallet mounted at the extremity of said set of belts and disposed for bearing on said objects on said common conveyor.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, said belts being mounted on a frame which pivots about a shaft located in substantially parallel relation to the plane of said belts, said frame being weighted so that the down stream extremity of said belts follow the variations in level of the objects on said discharge conveyor, an endless belt located above said supporting and conveying belts at a distance from said belts substantially equal to the thickness of said objects and in a vertical plane intersecting said belts, said endless belt being stretched over two drums rotatably mounted on shafts which are rigidly fixed to said frame and being disposed for maintaining said objects in contact with said supporting and conveying belts, and guide means mounted adjacent to the downstream extremity of said belts for transferring said objects oriented by said belts onto conveyor means disposed beneath said belts, said guide means comprising two curved portions rigidly connected together.

5. A device for modifying to a desired angle the orientation of a succession of rod-shaped objects conveyed in continuous motion and in substantially parallel alignment, said device comprising a station for supplying said objects, a discharge station, and between said two stations two endless supporting and conveying belts located in the same plane and spaced apart at a distance smaller than the length of said objects and driven at different speeds, said two belts moving along paths converging at a substantially small angle in the direction of travel, said two belts being mounted on a frame pivoting about a shaft located in substantially parallel relation to said plane of said belts, said frame having a counterweight disposed for said discharge station of said belts to follow the variations in level of said objects on said common discharge conveyor, discharge conveyor means, an endless belt located above said supporting and conveying belts at a distance therefrom substantially equal to the thickness of said objects and in a vertical plane intersecting said belts, said endless belt bein tret hed o r tw drums rotatabl rn ed on shafts w hich are rig it ily fi ed to said frame an b eing disposed for maintaining said objects in contact with said supporting and conveying belts, guide means mounted adjacent to said discharge station of said belts, said guide means disposed for transferring said objects oriented by said belts onto said discharge conveyor means located beneath said belts, and at least one pallet disposed for bearing on said objects on said discharge conveyor means, said pallet being attached to said frame at said discharge station.

(2x3 "mENT-OFHCE 2 CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. Q MOASA Dated I September 12, 1972 Inventor(s) HENRI ANFOSSI It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On page 1, column 1, at line 30, insert:

-- Foreign Applicatiorl Priority Date:

July 7, 1969 France Application No. 69 22924 Signed and sealed this 6th day of March 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.PLET( IHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attestlng Offlcer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A device for modifying to a desired angle the orientation of a succession of rod-shaped objects having longitudinal axes, conveyed in continuous motion and in substantially parallel alignment, said device comprising a station for supplying said objects, a station for discharging said objects, two endless supporting and conveying belts between said stations, said belts being located in the same plane and spaced apart at a distance less than the length of said objects, means for mounting and moving said belts in directions which converge at a small angle in the direction of travel means for driving one belt faster than the other, the respective speeds of said belts being a function of said small angle in order to cause pivotal motion of said objects through said desired angle while the points of contact of said objects with said two belts remain stationary with respect to said objects throughout the period during which said objects are conveyed by said belts, and means preventing said objects from rotating about their longitudinal axes.
 2. A device in accordance with claim 1, comprising at least two sets of two belts, a separate feed station for each set and a discharge station constituted by a common conveyor, the downstream extremities of said sets of belts being so arranged as to provide said objects of the different streams with the same orientation at the moment of transfer of said objects onto said common conveyor.
 3. A device in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a pallet for each set of said belts, said pallet mounted at the extremity of said set of belts and disposed for bearing on said objects on said common conveyor.
 4. A device in accordance with claim 1, said belts being mounted on a frame which pivots about a shaft located in substantially parallel relation to the plane of said belts, said frame being weighted so that the down stream extremity of said belts follow the variations in level of the objects on said discharge conveyor, an endless belt located above said supporting And conveying belts at a distance from said belts substantially equal to the thickness of said objects and in a vertical plane intersecting said belts, said endless belt being stretched over two drums rotatably mounted on shafts which are rigidly fixed to said frame and being disposed for maintaining said objects in contact with said supporting and conveying belts, and guide means mounted adjacent to the downstream extremity of said belts for transferring said objects oriented by said belts onto conveyor means disposed beneath said belts, said guide means comprising two curved portions rigidly connected together.
 5. A device for modifying to a desired angle the orientation of a succession of rod-shaped objects conveyed in continuous motion and in substantially parallel alignment, said device comprising a station for supplying said objects, a discharge station, and between said two stations two endless supporting and conveying belts located in the same plane and spaced apart at a distance smaller than the length of said objects and driven at different speeds, said two belts moving along paths converging at a substantially small angle in the direction of travel, said two belts being mounted on a frame pivoting about a shaft located in substantially parallel relation to said plane of said belts, said frame having a counterweight disposed for said discharge station of said belts to follow the variations in level of said objects on said common discharge conveyor, discharge conveyor means, an endless belt located above said supporting and conveying belts at a distance therefrom substantially equal to the thickness of said objects and in a vertical plane intersecting said belts, said endless belt being stretched over two drums rotatably mounted on shafts which are rigidly fixed to said frame and being disposed for maintaining said objects in contact with said supporting and conveying belts, guide means mounted adjacent to said discharge station of said belts, said guide means disposed for transferring said objects oriented by said belts onto said discharge conveyor means located beneath said belts, and at least one pallet disposed for bearing on said objects on said discharge conveyor means, said pallet being attached to said frame at said discharge station. 